Governor Theodore Orji has flagged off the 1st round of the 2013 immunization plus days in Abia state with a call on Abians to join hands to eradicate the disease.
Performing the exercise at the Ikwuano local Government Headquarters the governor said that Abia is doing well in the fight against polio.
He thanked the traditional rulers and opinion leaders, the church,health workers and the development partners for helping the state government to rid the state of the dreaded disease.
According to him the 90% immunization coverage recorded last year in the state is encouraging and expressed the hope that by the end of this year polio would have been driven out of the state.
Chief noted that before now, polio has been devastating everywhere.
He stated that his administration places premium on the health sector of the state adding that he will like to be a governor of healthy people.
Earlier, the commissioner for Health, Dr.Okechukwu Ogar said the Abia state government has shown commitment to ensure that Abia is polio free and disclosed that Abia currently maintains an immunization coverage of 90% in 2012.
He called for all hands to be on deck to ensure that every Abia child is reached.
In a goodwill message earlier, Dr. Sebastian Okwu of the World Heath Organization who said 121 cases of polio was discovered in Nigeria in2012 stated that immunization is one of the strategies for the eradication of polio disclosing that Nigeria is one of the few countries where polio is still endemic.
He pleaded with the governor to provide logistics to enable the care givers reach every nook and cranny of the state.
